Improvement in slates



E. W. ROBERTS.

` Slates.

No. 135,158. Patented 1an. 21, 187s.

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AM. PHoTo-umaRAm/c co. Mx (osaanne Fnac-ess) UNITED STATES PATENT CEEIcE.

E. WALTER ROBERTS, OF TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD HIS RIGHT TO T. S. WOTKYNS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SLATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,158, dated January 21, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E. WALTER RoEEnTs, of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slates and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of'this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of two slates having their'frames connected together by my improved method, and Fig. 2 is alike view of the hinge-bar detached and incased in a metal frame.

Letters of like naine and kind refer to like parts in each of the iigures.

As ordinarily constructed, double slates intended for use of business men in keeping meinorandums of sales, orders, &c.,.are so hinged together as to be incapable of being folded together in but one way, by which means but one face of each slate is available for use.

To remedy this objection is the design of my invention, which consists in a pair of slates hinged or otherwise connected at their edges so as to be capable of folding together in opposite directions, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawing, A and A represent two slates inclosed at their edges by means of frames B in the usual manner. Pivoted to or within corresponding slots c cut in the edge of each frame B are the ends of two or more metal bars, G, the opposite ends of which bars are in like manner pivoted within the frame of a second slate and connect the same together. The contiguous edges of the frames B and the ends of the bars O are preferably cut upon a circle of which the pivotal centers of the ends of said bars are the center; and as said bars have just the necessary length to cause said frame-edges to touch, it will be seen that as the slatesA are turned in either direction the same intimate contact is maintained between said parts. As thus connected, the slates may be folded together in either direction, so as to bring either face of each slate outward, said face, after having been filled, being reversed or folded inward so as to remove it from liability of contact with anything which would -deface the writing upon the same.

If desired, small vpieces of sheet metal, D, may be driven into the wood at the rear or inner end of each slotc for the purpose of fur,- nishing a bearing for the edges of the pivoted bar O when the slates are close together. Although the form of connection described is preferably employed, the same result may be accomplished by the employment of a variety of other forms.

The advantages possessed by this construction are: First, the effective capacity of the slates is doubled, as they may be folded so as to bring either surface uppermost, when, after having been written upon, a face can be folded inward and its writing preserved from injury until convenient to copy the same upon or into a book. This arrangement is especially advantageous in an order-slate from which the orders can be copied but once each day. Second, the slates are in a most coinpact form, and can be used in places where for the ordinary hinged slates too little space is available, in addition to which the durability of the device is largely increased. Third, while possessin gthe advantages named, the improved slates cost no more than, and can be furnished at as low a rate as, those now in use.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new 1s- A pair of slates connected together at their edges by means of the pivoted metal bars C or their equivalent, so as to be capable of folding together in either direction, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

E. WALTER ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

S. K. ROBERTS, A. KIMBER. 

